The American Girl

Yulia has being asking me almost every day to get her ears pierced. Her friend Anastia got hers done and told Yulia how it was not painful. So with Yulia's mothers permission (yes, I made her call home) we headed to the Supermall.

She was so cute & excited! She loves them and keeps thanking me. She also loved the BIG glasses and we just had to take a pictures.

She is such a blessing to have and a fun little eight year old. She is just like every american girl. Girly!

Happy 4th of July

What a relaxing day. Seriously! I had to force myself to relax but it worked. I even took an hour nap...now that is unheard of around here.

We took in a family movie at $34.50 (YIKES) for 6 to see a matinee of Wall-E. It was interesting, but actually a good movie to take Yuylia to since there was not much talking in English she actually understood it.

Then we came home for a little BBQ and off to our friends in Maple Valley. They live in a neighborhood that has tons of fireworks. It was a lot of fun and like I said relaxing. Now if all my days could be so calm.

Happy 4th of July!

Yuylia's Top 10

It has been 2 weeks since Yuylia has been here has been here with us. Here are her top 10 things she loves the most about America.



10. Top Ramon (Raton in Russian)
9. Hot Dogs
8. Clothes
7. Pop Music
6. Ice Cream
5. Shoes
4. Friends Anastia (this is her 2nd cousin)
3. Learning English and teach me Belarussian
2. The weather (go figure)
1. The ocean...that is all she has asked us to do with her!

She seems to really enjoy it here. She told the interpreter that she did not want to go home. Although, I think she misses her family, but we are a perfect fit to make her feel just at home.

As much as I try to feed Yuylia healthy foods she will really only eat fruit. She most nights just wants ramon or hot dogs. I feel bad but I guess I would rather her eat then not eat or it is better then a bowl of cereal. She is so funny!

We took her to the Dentist and she has a lot of cavities, but lucky for her a lot of them are on baby teeth that will fall out within the next 6 months to a year. So she has 4 permanant teeth that will need fillings. This is not bad and we are excited it will only be 2 visits.

She did fantastic at the dentist after being so afraid because of her experience back home. Dr. Sharma was honest and I think Yuylia likes having a female doctor. She has been brushing and flossing everyday. It has motivated me to be better about it as well.

Well till next time.

Lk. Wilderness Park

I took Yuylia and the kids to Lk. Wilderness park this past week. Despite the smell of Duck poop it was a beautiful day and the kids loved it.

Busy Weekend

It was a busy weekend at the Cavanaugh household (really when is it NOT busy...seriously?)

Friday night we BBQ it up with some friends and Mema came over for the weekend.

Saturday it was Davis's 4th birthday so we went to his Spiderman party at the park and it was hot! We had a blast there and our Lighting Shoes were a hit.

Then it was off to a Housewarming/Baby Shower for some friends of our Josh & Kara in Kent. The kids decided they were partied out and stayed home with Mema while Jason and I went. It was a lot of fun and Dylan is adorable and the new house is great.

Then off to the final desitnation in Woodinville for a good friend and past co-worker's 40th birthday. Happy 40th Kat! It was great to catch up with old friends and see the kids.

Then it was back home to finish a project for the kick off of Memory Market at church.

Finally, at midnight I headed to bed.

Sunday I was up at 5am preparing the last minute details for the project then I got everyone feed and out the door by 9am. After church we picked up Ksyenia and headed home to have a little R&R (my version anyway) with some swimming and just hanging out.

Needless to say I am pooped and it is Tuesday.

Liam's First Time at Day Camp

We made it through a week of Day Camp. Liam got to go to Day Camp at Camp Berachah with a friend of his all week from 9-4pm. After the first day he did not want to go back, but I convinced him to continue on and he loved it. His favorite part...canoeing, swimming and the snack shack. He did really good and seemed to have so much fun. He was happy to be home and with his brother and friends.

Update on Yuylia

Yuylia has been with us for 2 weeks now and seems to be enjoying herself. We have taken her to the Medical Screening which she was so afraid of the dentist and getting her blood drawn. She had a bad experience at home so no wonder she is scared. She loved playing on the big jumpy toys with the boys and her 2nd cousin Anastia. Anastia is staying with a family in Covington not to far from us so we have her coming over today to play with Yuylia.

We had Ksenyia our interpreter come over on Sunday for dinner with the family and just to hang out. She is so sweet and it was neat to hear all about her and to ask questions about Yuylia. We learned that she wants to see the ocean. She loves it hear and does not want to go home. She loves our babushka Mema. She likes all the craziness of our house and is bored when we are not busy with kids, etc. She loves hot dogs, chicken and potatoes oh and ice cream. She would like to have a slumber party with her friends that are here for her birthday. She likes Barbies and wants to learn how to swim. She is not homesick. I can hardly beleive that one, but she has only called home once.

We are scheduled for a dental appt on Wed. and it looks like she will need some fillings, but a lot of the cavities are on teeth that are baby teeth and will fall out in the next 6mo to 2 yrs. I am hoping she will be able to handle seeing the dentist. She got to go with us last night when I took all the kids. I think it was great for her to see them and that they enjoyed it.

Besides playing, swimming and just hanging out we really have not done any tourist things yet. I am hoping to get to the zoo soon and of course camping at the beach.

Stay tuned for more...

Day Two w/Yuylia

It has been two days so far. She went to bed last night without dinner at 6pm and she woke up at 8am. She obviously needed sleep. Even Liam, Reilly and Natalie slept until 8:45am which meant that I actually slept in as well...yahoo!

We made "bleeny" today which is pancakes and she liked them a lot. She did not use butter but tried the syrup and liked it. It is fun to watch her try new things and see what she likes and dislikes. Did you know she brought Lays potatoe chips from home that were Crab flavored. Seriously, I tried one and it tasted like crab and was disgusting. So I am sure she is thinking the same thing about things I am feeding her. She likes fruit a lot which is good to see, but she hardly eats.

We took Yuylia up to Samammish today to get some free clothes from a place called Kids Without Boarders which is a non profit organization that helps kids in need. It was fun and Yuylia got to see some of the other girls here. Natalie however, screamed and cried the entire 45min there and back. In Russian they call this "plakat". I actually had to stop and pull over to deal with Natalie and Yuylia just sat there. I wonder what she thinks of our little drama queen.

We then came home for lunch and quickly found out Yuylia does not like peanut butter and jelly. She got the opportunity to play the Wii with Liam who is actually getting good without words to show Yuylia how to work the remote and play with him. He is in heaven as she just does whatever he wants and does not complain, argue, or want to do anything different. She seems to enjoy his company. He of course loves being the boss!

We had roast tonight and she loved that but did not like Ranch, Italian or French dressing on her salad. She loves sweets, so I think she fits in well in this family.

We also got a chance to play with the neighbor kids and she enjoyed Saddie the neighbor girl who is almost 6. Oh and she does not like SNAKES! Seth has a garden snake he found and was carrying it around with them as the clan followed. They had fun outside jumping and swinging together.

Well to another day. What will tomorrow bring...

Love,
Jess

Go Ballplayers!

Today was Reilly's last T-Ball game. It was a nice day and Reilly seemed to finally get into it on the last day. He had two great hits and even ran the bases with enthusiasum.

It was a lot of fun to watch and he was so thrilled in the end to get his metal just like his big brother. Coach Scott & John did a great job!

Till next year.


Check out the swing

and then the run

oh and the "golden" medal (why we played at all)

Yuylia & Me

The Ballplayers with Coach Scott & Coach John

Donations for Yuylia

I have had a lot of people ask how they can donate. Here is a list of what we are in need of.

Costco Card ~ to buy Multivitamin, toothpaste, soap, etc.
Size 5 1/2-6 womans shoes for summer & winter
Winter Coat - girls size 10-12
Winter clothes - girls/jr size 8-10 and 10-12
Underwear Size Med girls

She likes barbies, dolls and art stuff but we can only send her home with a 50lb suitcase and 25lb back pack home.

I can however, mail or ship a package through a Nazarene church in Kent for fairly inexpensive but it does take 2-3 months to get there. They are really reliable and it seems able to work with Russia on getting the packages to their destination.


If you make cash donations out to me I do have to claim with FTC but I can use to purchase items for Yuylia and family and for shipping costs. If you want to make a monatary donations please make it directly to FTC as mentioned in my previous blog.

Thank you to all of you who have already given so much. This is already one of the greatest experiences. Right now Liam is teaching her to play the Wii and he even let her win...which is saying a lot for Liam. This is good because she does not understand all his bossiness and telling her how to do it, so he can talk all he wants and she just smiles and plays. It is hilarious!

Have a blessed day...off to Reilly's last soccer game.

Love,
Jess

Welcome Yulyia

We picked up Yulyia last at the airport around 8:15pm. She speaks a little English to our suprise. She is adorable! She says things like "WOW" and "thank you". She is already teaching us a lot. Natalie is so attached and the boys are showing her all the fun they can have. She should be worn out by tonight!

Tonight we try Tacos. So far I have found she like Bananas, apples, carrots, Life cereal, vanilla yogurt and chocolate. She does not like eggs.

I think she things Will & Leila are our kids. She is a bit confused why we picked them up at Jenni's this morning. She likes Jason and came in the room this morning to say "good morning" to us both.

She likes Shrek and watch the movie today in English. She loves dolls and played most of the morning with Liam and the doll house. They are somehow communicating really good together. I guess kids have their own language.

We Love our Daddy!

Each year on Father's Day we head to Yakima to enjoy family time...oh and a guarentee of SUN!

It is our nephews birthday on the 15th so we had a celebration on the 14th. We enjoyed yummy food, swimming, good conversation and a little music from Jason. It was a blast!

We came home that night as Jason was singing on Sunday at church for Father's Day. We love our daddy!

10 Reason we love daddy

1. He watches golf with us
2. He has the biggest hugs
3. He sings to us
4. He is funny
5. He wrestles & plays chase
6. He takes us camping
7. He is patient with us
8. He teaches us things
9. He snuggles with us
10. He is our daddy!

We love you!

A Summer Reflection of random thoughts

It is another June and well what happened to this past year? As I reflect on how fast the kids are growing and life is passing us by I think to myself "what are we doing here? what is our purpose in life?" I think it is good to sometimes question yourself or as I like to say "check" yourself just to be aware of what it is all for. For me it is understanding that my life is so much greater then paycheck to paycheck, bills, traffic, gas prices, weather and so much more then this world has to offer.

In this world we live in it is easy to get bogged down by all we have to get done and all we want to accomplish. One thing I am wanting is a Simple Life. I want so much to just enjoy watching the kids grow. Love the way God has asked me to love without all the baggage and garbage that holds me down. Love is so simple and easy, but Pride, ego, hurts, emotions, feelings, past history all make it complicated.

I know it can not always be easy...like the "easy" button. We have to have trials to grow in wisdom and in faith. All things happen for a reason, but I still question if this is "it". I mean is this really the life God called me to live? I LOVE being a mother and a wife. It is the most challenging yet satisfying job I am sure I will ever have. I am not even sure what I am trying to say...I just have such a desire to serve the Lord and make a difference. I feel like right now I am just here and watching life pass by. The kids are getting older. We are getting older. The house is getting older (and needing more then I can handle).

What is our purpose?

Our newest Cavanaugh!

Yulia with her mom and dad

Many of you got stuck on the "title". I know that Jason and I have made history with how fast we have babies, but not this time. We are only adopting for a month and she is 8! Although, I love babies and we are thrilled to be hosting Yulia and are excited for the new things we will learn. Here is the e-mail blurb I sent out.

As most of you might know we Jason, I and the kids will be hosting a little girl named Yulia Shemetava from Belarussia starting June 19th through August 3rd.
This is all part of a host program through For the Children of the World www.fortheworldschildren.org. Our home church New Community is sponsoring 10 children through our Bridge to Belarussia Mission Program. There are 79 children total being hosted through out the Pacific Northwest.

This is a program that brings over Belarusian children to the Pacific Northwest for a 6 week health respite with host families each summer. These children suffer effects from the continued radiation from the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster of 1986, including the development of what is known as Chernobyl Aids. The time spent here each summer in an uncontaminated environment can help flush out overwhelmed immune systems and potentially add 5-10 years to each child's life span.

As a host family we are responsible not only for supplying a place for Yulia to stay, but also for taking car of her health needs while she is here. We have been asked to take her to the dentist at least once and to the eye doctor for new glasses. We have been blessed as both our dentist and eye doctor have agreed to see Yulia for FREE and they are local in Maple Valley. This is a HUGE blessing to us!

We are THRILLED to have Yulia here. We have made her a room and made it all girlie for her. We are so excited for her to be a part of our family and to meet all of our friends and family. She does not speak any English - thank God we have the "First Thousand Words in Russian" book. It will be an adventure. We chose Yulia because she is adorable and because she has two younger brothers the same age as Liam and Reilly. I figured this way she will not be alarmed when Reilly runs around in his underwear and with all of the noise those boys make. Yulia is the pastor's daughter of the church we are supporting in Belarussia. This is her first trip to the US and she is a Christian..

Here is a little blurb from the website about Yulia and I attached a photo of her with her parents.

Born August 20, 1999
Age in Summer 2008 – 8

Yulia is in the 3rd grade. She lives with her father and mother, 1 sister and 3 brothers in a 3 room flat in Korma. Her father is the pastor of the church in Korma and has a second job as a watchman. The approximate monthly family income is $400. Her parents would like her to get a good rest in America.

Yulia is mildly cross-eyed and wears glasses. Her parents would like her to see an eye doctor to see if there is something that can be done for her. (Belarussian doctors say there isn’t.)

Yulia likes to draw and do arts and crafts. She also likes to sing. She is a happy child and interacts well with children. She is the middle child from a large family. She is described as a leader. Yulia cannot swim.

She is a good eater and likes potatoes, chicken, macaroni, hotdogs and, of course, candy. She has no fear or known allergies of dogs or cats.

We would love it if you had anything you would like to donate (tax exempt forms will be available to you just like the ones you get for donating at Goodwill) here is what we are looking for:

Suit case with wheels - DONATED alreay
Backpack - DONATED already
Vitamins - Multi & Vitamin C
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, hair things
Shoes (not sure of her size yet)
Clothing - Winter hats, gloves, coat for 8 year old (Medium)
School Supplies - Crayons, Pencils, Erasers, Notebooks, etc.

Anything you think an 8 year old girl would like! If you want to do a cash donation you can donate directly to FTC by mailing to:
For the Children of the World
PO Box 58694
Renton, WA 98058

A receipt will be generated by FTC and mailed off to you.

We hope that you each get a chance to meet her while she is here. Thank you for taking the time to read this and we love you all.

Jason, Jess, Liam, Reilly & Natalie

Oregon Trip

Each year we take a trip to Medford, Or and visit family along the way. This year we went in June instead of September. We drove straight through as all the family was going to be in Medford for my cousins graduation. It was a long 9 hrs down, but the kids were fantastic. Despite car troubles we made it and had a great week with family. I love sharing the love of my extended family with the kids. We are truly blessed! Here is just some of the fun we had. Oh and the weather was sunny and warm most day. So sad to come home to rain...ugh!

McDonald's...our first stop on the way down!

This is what us girls do when we are together. We read "smut" mags and hang out. Natalie seems to be catching on quickly!

This is the hot tub I grew up swimming in. The boys had a blast in it!

BMX'r Liam on the dirt track. He has some nasty scars on his knees from the accident he had on the track. We call them War wounds!

This is my animal lover Natalie. She loved Wiggies Grammie Greats doggie.

Our Cousban (Cousin's husband) Tony...Natalie LOVES her Tony.

Reilly Roo at the Science Works in Ashland, OR

The kids and I and Grandma Great.

The Graduate & Aunt Jannie

The Cousins

People wonder where I get all that goofiness from...hmmmm?

Reilly was so excited he got to drive all by himself this year.

Natalie and mommie playing games and getting "tickies"

My crazy aunts Jannie & Angie at Cosmo Bowl

Mema & Liam at Matt's graduation party

Natalie having "birthday cake"...she sang to Matt it was hilarious.

Till next year!